Improvement in electric-lighting apparatus



A. W. HALL. Electric-Lighting Apparatus.

No. 217.792. Patented July 22,1879.

y/w Zia WW :LPETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRAFHEK WASHlNGTON, u C.

A. \VILFORD HALL,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No May 10 alt whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, AJWVILFORD HALL, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricLighting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, though applicable to electriclighting apparatus in whichthe light is produced by two electrodes, forming a voltaic are, isespecially intended for use, and will be described in connection, withlighting apparatus wherein is employed an electric circuit comprising aportion. of less conductivity than the remainder of the circuit, whichbecomes heated to a point ot' ineandescence by the resistance offered tothe passage of electricity. For this purpose are employed metals whichhave a low degree of conductivity, and in which the point of fusion isvery high-such, for instance, as platinum. In such apparatus theincandescent or lightgiviug portion is liable to become heated to apoint of fusion and destroyed by the increased intensity of the electriccurrent; and the objectof this invention is to provide a regulator,which maybe termed a magneto stat, whereby, when the electric currentbecomes too intense, it may be wholly or in part prevented from passingthrough the incandescent portion of the circuit.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, with the armatureof an electro magnet, the coil of which forms a portion of anelectric-light circuit, and a short circuit with which said armature isconnected, of an adjustable extension of the core of saidelectro-magnet, an adjustable stop for the arma ture, an inclosed casecontaining said armature, core-extension, and stop, and levers or armsinserted through the walls of said case, and connected with said coreand stop for the purpose of adjusting the same, whereby the distancebetween the armature and core may be increased or decreased, anddifferent tensions of the magnet required to operate the former to closethe short circuit and divert the electric current from said magnet.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of anelectric-lighting apparatus embodying my invention and a sectional viewof a case inclosing certain parts 217,792, dated July '22, 1879;application liled S, 1879.

thereof; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line :0 a", Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

A designates the light-giving portion or burner of an electric circuit.It is here represented as a wire or strip of platinum, iridium, rhodium,or any other metal having a low degree of conductivity and a high pointof fusion. Electricity passes from a battery (not here represented)through a conductor, A, secured in a bindin g-post, B, and thence,through an electro-magnet, (J, and conduetorrU, to the portion A, fromwhich a conductor, A, leads through a binding-post, D, to the battery.The conductor A passes through a properlyinsulated opening in astandard, a, whereby it is supported.

It will be seen that the lightgiving portion or burner A, as itpossesses less conductivity and is very much smaller than the remainderof the circuit, will become heated to a point of incandescence at whichit will emit light.

E designates an armature, represented as arranged within a case, F, andpivoted at one end to a fulcrum-piece, 1), extending from thebinding-post D. From the binding-post B extends a circuit-closingdevice, 0, tipped with platinum, with which a platinum tip or contactpoint, 0, on the armature E may come in contact, thereby formingashort branch circuit, and conducting or shunting a portion of theelectric current through the armature E and fulcrumpiece Z), and thenceto the battery without passing through the main circuit and ii ght-giving portion A.

A series of lights might be employed, in which case the electric currentwould pass to another light instead of direct to the battery.

The circuit-closing device 0 is preferably ad justable, and is hererepresented as seemed to the binding-post B by a screw-threzul, 0,permittin g such adjustment.

Gr designates an adjustable extension-piece with which the fixed core ofthe magnet O is provided, and which is here represented as provided witha screw-threaded shank, (l, for effecting its adj ustment. Thisextensionpiece makes what may be termed an extension magnet. Hdesignates a stop, also shown as adjustable by means of a screw-thread,e, and which serves to regulate the falling back of the armature E. Thearmature E rests between the adjustable extension G and stop H, and whennot otherwise actuated is pulled down by a spring, f, thereby renderingthe circuit-closing device cinoperative. In lieu of a spring, f, aweight might be employed.

The adjustable extension G and stop H may both be adjusted from outsidethe case F by means of levers g h, which extend through slots i in theside of said case. Before the intensity of the electric current passingthrough the main circuit increases to such a degree as ture may be keptin contact with the circuitclosing device, and the entire electriccurrent passed through the short branch circuit, thereby extinguishingthe light. 1

After properly adjusting the circuit-closing device 0, exte'nsion G, andstop H, the caseF is intended to be closed to prevent the said partsfrom being tampered with. By turning the lever g to the right theadjustable extension-piece is raised, causing the magnet (J to exertless force on the armature E, and thus allowing a larger portion of theelectric cur-- rent to pass through the light-giving portion A of themain circuit. By turning the lever h to the right the stop H israised,.thereby raising the armature, and by causing the pla-- tinumcontact-point 0 to come in contactwith the circuit-closing device 0completes the short branch circuit, as before described.

By my invention I produce a simple and reliable regulator for anelectric-lighting apparatus, whereby a light of uniform brilliancy maybe maintained, and injury to the incandescent or light-giving portion isprevented, and by which the current may be subdivided for the purpose ofmaintaining a number of lamps by a single generator.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination, with the armature E, magnet O, adjustable. extension G,and stop H, of the closed case F and the levers g h, extending throughthe side thereof, substantially as specified.

A. WILFORD HALL.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, '1. J. KEANE.

